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Monday, June 23, 2014

Craigslist And Estate Sales Are My Friends



Yes, indeed they are.

I needed to refresh the stock at my antiques booth,
so a couple of weekends ago, my daughter Anne and I hit up several house sales,
and picked up a washstand, ca. 1870, from a Craigslist posting.
(The washstand in our sunroom, awaiting
its beauty treatment.  The top drawer is out.)

We stuffed the minivan; Anne has excellent packing skills.
But we had to pass up an Eastlake bed.  That was painful.
A very BIG Eastlake bed, it was in excellent, gorgeous condition, 
with rails, and already converted to queen size.  I know!

Why didn't we take it?  
I negotiated the price from $275 to $100 
-- it was the last day of the sale, and I was buying other things -- 
but when I stood next to the bed, and realized that it was taller than I, 
and certainly wider than 48" . . . I knew I couldn't fit it into the minivan.
Dang.

But we got an adorable old cherry one-drawer stand, with uber-patina.
And an antique repair to its top.  
(Please excuse the sneakers, dog toy, and vacuum in the picture.
Real life is messy sometimes.  Or, always.)

Not a very professional fix-it job, and it may win the prize for 
most nails used in any furniture repair ever, but I just love it.
It cracks me up.  It would have given my father fits.

Also in our house sale haul, a wonderful old chestnut drop leaf table, 
with three original leaves.  A rare bird, indeed.

The picking gods were with us that day.  It has not just 3 leaves,
but a holder to keep them protected.  I never saw one of those before.
It's possible I have lead a sheltered life.
Haha ... those are Howard's feet on the left; we were in the parking lot behind the shop, 
delivering these things to the booth this past Sunday.  

I have shrunk my booth down to 1/2 its former size, 
so it was a tight fit to get the new things tucked in.  But we did.

The rustic little one-drawer stand sold today, one day after its arrival.
And someone put a "hold" on the drop leaf table.
Yup, house sales are my friends.
And ... I just noticed my giant handbag on the drop leaf table.  Well, at least I didn't leave it there.

The house sale also netted us a nice sturdy country Windsor chair,
and a sweet pine desk/vanity/hall table that needs a teensy bit of TLC
before it's ready for its closeup, Mr. DeMille.

Sunday was such a lovely day.
Maybe Howard and I should have had lunch al fresco in the parking lot!

Side note:  A couple of days after I got the washstand from a home in Chatham, NJ, I got an email from the owner; she had found the bail of one of the brasses in her garage.  Did I want it?  Yes!  I was ready to hunt for a replacement.  Instead ... this lovely lady mailed it to me.  I know people worry about Craigslist dealings, but so far I have only met the very best people in my Craigslist purchases, or sales.  Even the hermits.  :-)

And it isn't much of a collage/mosaic that I've done, but even so ... 
I'm hitching it to Mary's Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.


Confession:  It's been SO LONG since I've done a blog party linkup that I forgot how.
True.
A mind really is a terrible thing to waste, isn't it?  See you soon! 
-- Cass


9 comments:

  1. You really did score! To bad you had to pass on the bed - any way to go back with a larger truck to pick it up? Looks like you have your booth space very well organized.
    Hope this comment posts - having "blogger" issues as reading list not working properly. Maybe that is a sign I need to do something beside play on the computer. LOL Actually found out it is a wide spread problem and "they" are working on the situation.
    Hop you are having a great week.

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  2. Haven't you ever heard of a moving blanket and a couple of bungee cords....You could have gotten that bed up on the roof of the car...for $100 I would have carried it all the way home.....and my mother used to have a drop leaf table like that only in maple...when she moved to Florida I think she sold it for $30....

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  3. What a shame about the bed -- but you got some beauties. That table is just gorgeous.

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  4. You found some really beautiful pieces. The holder for the table leaves is pretty neat.

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  5. Sounds like the two of you had a great time!

    M : )

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  6. What beautiful Old house in your header. Such a wonderful day to share with your daughter. .
    I especially like the rustic little one-drawer in your collage!
    I wish you both a fabulous summer together!

    Eva Jorunn Norway

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  7. What a lot of fun you've had, and what an interesting post you've written about it. Your business sounds amazing. I loved your finds, and am delighted that you managed to sell some of them so quickly. All the best, Bonny

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  8. You need a roof rack to haul beds home! And while I am at it, I would like to introduce you to Victoria Elizabeth Barnes. She's me with a wicked sense of humor http://victoriaelizabethbarnes.com/

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